Expert support for university medicine

After more than 25 years of constant use, the nursing floors of the CRONA Clinics in Tübingen needed a complete refurbishing. The order to renew the security systems was awarded to euromicron Deutschland GmbH – and the result was highly satisfied project managers.

Tübingen University Hospital (UKT) was founded in 1805 and is one of the most prestigious clinical centers in Germany. It is a top-flight location for university medicine in Germany and, among other things, has produced two winners of the Nobel Prize in Medicine. The UKT’s establishments are spread over the “Clinic Valley”, which was erected in the city in the 19th century, and the “Clinic Hill”, situated on the Schnarrenberg Mount, where most of the clinic buildings in the valley have been replaced gradually since the 1960s. The “Hill” now houses all of the UKT’s clinical operations, with the exception of the gynecological hospital and neonatology. The CRONA Clinics were also opened on the modern campus in 1988. As the German acronym CRONA indicates, it is home to the departments for surgery, radiology, orthopedics, neurology and anesthesiology and so key areas of university medicine at Tübingen.

So as to be able to ensure ideal patient care long term, it goes without saying that the modern CRONA Clinics also have to refresh their technical building equipment regularly and adapt it to changes in requirements. After more than 25 years of uninterrupted usage, complete refurbishing of the nursing floors was therefore due. They were to be gradually gutted and their building technology modernized – while the hospital continued its operations. However, since the lives of patients depended in some cases on the functionality of the trade disciplines on the other nursing floors, the renovation work was not allowed to cause any technical disruptions. That called for experienced project partners who were able to accomplish the modernization activities reliably without impairment to the existing clinic technologies and in particular their connections.

The contract for the security systems was awarded to euromicron Deutschland GmbH. The system house subsidiary of euromicron AG, a security and IoT specialist with many years of experience in building technology, was predestined for this task – and UKT had come to know and respect it as a reliable partner from earlier projects. Following detailed planning in close coordination with the persons responsible at UKT, the order was completed reliably in time and budget and without disruption to ongoing hospital operations. euromicron Deutschland installed a new light and nurse call system, a fire alarm system in rooms and corridors with around 250 optical smoke detectors and other alarm devices, an access control system with card readers and control units, and an IP-based communications system with phone, door communication system and intercom systems, as well as PC and fax connections, initially on two floors. All power connections and data networks, as well as a passive data network for monitoring that reports problems immediately to the technical center, were implemented for all trade disciplines. A BOS mobile radio system for the police, fire brigade and emergency services was also set up.

Tübingen University Hospital was highly satisfied with how the project went and its results. “euromicron Deutschland gave us outstanding support in all phases of the project and also contributed ideas and suggestions of a quality well in excess of what was demanded in the invitation to tender,” emphasizes Heinz Roller, supervisor of the TK-4 unit at the University Hospital. “Our security systems benefited enormously from that.” euromicron Deutschland is naturally pleased to hear such feedback. “Projects like this come with a extremely high degree of responsibility. Technical errors during installation or in operation of the security systems may have dramatic consequences for some patients,” explains Matthias Lahnert, Project Manager at euromicron Deutschland. “We’re all the more delighted at the positive response across the board.” The project work has not yet been completed and is being continued on other nursing floors.